Waives and Unemployment

Hokitika Guardian, 12 April 1921, Page 2

Waives and Unemployment

AN INVERCARGILL RESOLUTION.' INVERCARGILL, April 8 At its monthly meeting to-day, the Invercargill Chamber of Commerce discussed the joint question of wages and unemployment, some rather gloomy predictions as to the outlook in regard to the latter occurring in the course of the discussion. The discussion arose out of a member remarking that the Arbitration Court was still granting rises in wages. The chairman iMr A. H. Mackrell) said that he understood from a pronouncement by the Court that a further bonus of 2s would be declared within a few days. This would cause trouble throughout the country, and would speed the coming of unemployment. It was absurd for the Court to go on increasing the basic wage under the present circumstances. The Court was evidently a few months behind the times. Mr J. Gilkison remarked that firms had to regulate their expenditure bv their income, and it seemed they would have to decide whether to reduce hands or reduce wages. The purchasing power of the farmers was being reduced enormously, and a great deal of unemployment during the winter seemed inevitable.

The meeting carried the following motion : “That the action of the Arbitration Court in continuing to increase wages in view of the reductions in the value of produce, and the decreased purchase power of the farming community, coupled with' the decreased cost clothing, etc., will, in our opinion, have the effect of creating serious unemploy-

went.” It was decided to remit the resolution to the Employers’ Association for support.